Looking back

2009 was an interesting one for me. I didn't have an actual job for the entire year. By choice. Instead, I spent my time in various classes, fulfilling various requirements, learning new and interesting things and refreshing my knowledge bank. I tried my best. I submitted applications for nursing programs that will hopefully allow me to one day have a job that I love...again. I continued to cheer for the Cal Bears football team, and continued to be let down...just like every other year. I worked out harder than I have since college, but sadly, with less results. DJC and I celebrated our fifth year together, and started making plans for our wedding this year (YAY!!). I bought my wedding dress. As a couple, we grew closer than ever and faced a number of very difficult challenges together. We traveled, although not all that far. We ate lots. We laughed endlessly. We cried. He dried my tears. We made the best of the situation. Somehow, we've managed not to kill our downstairs neighbors and have resolved to allow them to upset us less. We're going to do our best to simply ignore their pathetic presence (although currently, I can hear exactly what video game the shitlets are playing as well as their fat little squeals of glee from time to time) and do the things that make us happy. I kissed my parents goodbye and hoped that their road trip across the country was uneventful and their new life in Florida makes them truly happy. I miss them. Terribly. I've read a lot. I've written a lot. I started a reality TV blog with my best friend from the seventh grade and had a wonderful lunch with her after not seeing each other for close to 20 years. Thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I connected with tons of long lost friends...and even made a few new ones.

All in all, I can't complain. 2009 wasn't the greatest year ever, but it wasn't terrible, either. I can't wait to see how all of the decisions and choices I made in 2009 work out for me in 2010. I can't wait to be Mrs. DJC. However things may go, I feel positive and excited to see what the future holds. I'd just like to finally root for a winning college football team for once. How about it, Bears? Can you make all my dreams come true? ;)

Adventures at the local Safeway

College football starts today, which means that I needed provisions. Food, drink and the like. I put on my script Cal t-shirt and headed out to the grocery store.

As I stepped up to the meat counter, I was immediately greeted by the largest, happiest man I have seen in a long time. His name, according to his name tag, was Eric.

"May I help you on this fiiiiiiiiine day?", Eric asked me.

"Yes please. I'd like six slices of bacon.", I replied.

"SLICES?! I thought you were going to ask me for six pounds!!

"Well, I would get more, but I don't think we could eat it all and I certainly don't want to waste good bacon."

"Girl, please. I can handle six of these slices on my own!"

"Actually, I can too, but I really shouldn't. I do love me some bacon, though."

"Child, please. You're skinny! Unless you're pushing 225 on the scale, you're skinny in my mind!"

I laughed. I'm not sure when I was last told that I am skinny. Serious comedy. Eric happily packed up my half-pound of bacon and added a "Thank you, Jesus" when he handed it to me. In this context, it made perfect sense. I continued to smile as I walked away from the meat counter towards the beer aisle.

Once there, I encountered three guys all dressed in Cal gear. They immediately saw my t-shirt and hollered "GO BEARS!". I returned the chant, although not nearly as loudly.

"So are you going to the game?", one guy asked me.

"No, we're gonna watch it on TV", I replied, as I surveyed the beer choices.

"Yeah, its on ESPN2...". Immediately, I cut in.

"Which kinda sucks because I feel that ESPN never gives the Pac-10 the respect is deserves. Plus the game will not be in HD. Weak".

All three of them looked at me like I had just said the most amazing thing they had ever heard. We continued to chit-chat about how the national sports channels favor the east coast teams and how its total bullshit that one ESPN guy actually chose Maryland over Cal. We agreed that Cal would shut them up with their actions on the field. The conversation then turned to the Navy Ohio State game that had taken place earlier in the day. After about five minutes, I went on my way. They all looked a little sad as I walked out of the beer aisle and gave me one more "GO BEARS!".

Damn, I love Cal fans. GO BEARS!!!

A great Saturday

After conquering the caulking catastrophe early in the day, I settled in to watch the 111th Big Game with some buttermilk biscuits and strawberry jam from Trader Joe's. I know this makes me a bad alumna, but I didn't particularly like Cal's chances. They've just been so all over the place this season. But thankfully, the whole can of whoop-ass was opened on the Cardinal and the Golden Bears reclaimed The Axe. There were some seriously brilliant plays (Frank Cignetti WHAT WHAT!!) and MAN, when Jahvid Best is having a good day, he is pretty damn incredible. Even though the Bears season has been very ho-hum, it feels DAMN good to beat Stanfurd. Woot!

Around the middle of the third quarter, DJC and I headed to San Francisco for a quick stop at Lush, and then to find a beer store he read about on this blog. Apparently, the latest craze in the beer world involves putting beer in cans. Like, ridiculously expensive beer... in cans. Yeah. Novel concept, I know. Anyways, the store's called Healthy Spirits, and its on 15th and Castro. We went in search of the elusive beers from Oskar Blues. When we walked in, we saw this:

And then I heard the disctinct sound of drum n bass being played. Then we met Nate. He was standing behind the counter, manning the laptop that was streaming Bassdrive.com. I was liking this place more and more. After a great discussion about the San Francisco music scene, we met Dave, beer master extraordinnaire. DJC and Dave got down to business and serious beer talk ensued. I meandered around and decided to snag one can for myself of 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon (it's a watermelon infused wheat beer) from one of these coolers:

We've been pretty loyal to City Beer for a while now, but after a not-so-pleasant experience a while back, we've been reluctant to go back. Despite the fact that you can actually drink your purchases at City Beer, I think I prefer the folks and the unpretentious vibe at Healthy Spirits. Nate and Dave were knowledgeable, friendly, and totally willing to talk shop with us for as long as we wanted. DJC and I feel like we made new friends. They stock over 500 different beers, so there's sure to be something for every kind of taste...even mine!

Armed with a ridiculous amount of good beer, DJC and I headed home to catch the Sharks game. Can I just say that I LOVE hockey?! Ok, Ok, you all know that, but the Sharks are on a freaking tear right now and it's just so much fun to watch. I've said it before and I'll say it again...Joe Thornton makes whoever he plays with better. He brings other players up to his level of awesomeness. This season's beneficiary: Devin Setoguchi. Those two make it look easy.

All in all, it was a great way to end a perfect day. Everything just worked out: Caulking, Cal football, Lush, Healthy Spirits, Dave and Nate, the kick-ass Sharks and spending the whole day with DJC. Good times!

Cash Rules Everything Around Me, C.R.E.A.M, Get tha money, Dollah dollah bill, ya'll.

Whoo! Longest title evar!!

In light of the American economy's recent massive suckage, I thought I'd post a few of the frivolous consumer items that have caused my money and I to part ways...

LOVING the cool kick of Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips glosses. I'm a sucker for new makeup and colors. So much so that even while I was unemployed and damn near broke, I picked up Ginger and instantly fell in love. Last week, I stopped in to my local Sephora and snagged Brandi and their newest product, the Buxom Lips Full Color in Stella, which is more like a slick lipstick than a gloss. I'm diggin' it all the same, though. MUAH!

My old college pal Goose shocked us all when he packed up and moved to Hawai'i several years ago. Since then, he's been tirelessly working on a new beverage...one that has the opposite effects of the Red Bulls of the world. The delicate blend of native Kava root and chamomile mellows the drinker out, while imparting a sense of focus. Its called Ozia and its finally available in stores throughout Hawai'i. Its also available shipped to the mainland by the case. I recently put in an order that arrived on Saturday. I have to say, it's like nothing I've ever tasted before. It's definitely good, but its a bit of an acquired taste. In any case, I'm proud of him for having a vision and following it through. Cheers, Goose!

In other parts of the food and drink department, I enjoyed Trader Joe's chocolate croissants and a glass of Montevina Pinot Grigio on Sunday morning. It was totally indulgent, totally delicious and a perfect way to spend a day off from the gym. And Montevina always has something fun going on at the Big Crush, where I will most certainly be dropping a lot of cash. So soon!

And then there's Cal football tickets. And THANK GOD, hockey season is starting soon. I'm sure Lucky_girl and M and Miss E and JE will surely want to take in a few Sharks games. As for DJC and myself, we can't hardly wait...

It's only money and you can't take it with you...right? ;) Happy consumerism!

ROLL ON YOU BEARS....the redux

Aaaah, college football....one of America's greatest pastimes. I've been sitting on the couch watching the Virginia Tech vs East Carolina game eagerly anticipating the start of the Cal season. I was going to do a whole new Cal pre-season post, but I think the one I did last year on that other blog will do just fine. After a dismal, disappointing late-season showing in 20007, not much has changed in the way us Cal fans feel. So, in the spirit of being carefully optimistic (but waiting to be let down, as always), I present "Roll On You Bears 2007"...

It's that time of year again, sports fans. Fall will always hold a special place in my heart...not only for the lovely turning of the leaves and yummy pumpkin pies, but for FOOTBALL. Cal football, more specifically. There's nothing like Bezerkeley on a day when the Bears are scheduled to play. We usually all meet at Kip's, which is possibly the divey-est of the Berkeley dive bars, but the drinks are cheap, strong, and the game is always on at least seven different TVs. The day is even more exciting when Cal manages to win one.

Now, for all of you that are gonna call me a hater with no faith, listen up. You know, at some point in time, you've thought to yourselves, "Yeah, Cal may have the lead right now, but they'll find a way to screw it up". And sucks as it may, you're usually right. It's just fact. We've all been Cal fans long enough to accept this, even though every year, we all have such positive feelings about how *this* team is THE team to finally take Cal to the Rose Bowl.

Somewhere in the middle of my freshman year at Cal, it happened. I became a DIE HARD fan. I don't really know how I became so loyal...maybe there were subliminal messages hidden in every class I took...maybe there was a night of hardcore Cal hazing that I've successfully blocked out. Who knows. The point is that EVERYONE I know from Cal feels the same way about the Bears. I work with a guy who graduated in the 60s and to this day, a good 30 minutes can be killed listening to him talk about Cal athletics. He's just that dedicated. All of the old cheers and chants remain unchanged and whether or not we admit to it, we can all sing at least two bars of Sons of California. Some of us have even been known to bust out the Cal Drinking Song at a restaurant in Mexico...and at BT's wedding! We're just that dedicated.

So, as fall and the regular season schedule approach, my awesome college friends and I will be cheering for the Bears until we're hoarse and hoping for the best, because DAMN IT, this year will be different!

This is also a friendly reminder that you can always visit the California Golden Blogs for all of your serious (and hilarious) Cal football analysis needs. To those guys, Cal football is a religion and they totally know their shit. Hi CBK! Hi Ragnarok, Hydro and Twist! =)

AAAAAAAAAAAAHH!! So excited! I love this time of year!! Until game time, GOOOOO BEARS!!